President Obama To Formalize Anti-Federal And Pro-State Campaign Promise To Keep The Feds Out Of The Medicinal Marijuana Controversy
Back in February of this year, the Obama Administration’s Attorney General Eric Holder called a halt to federal raids of state-licensed marijuana distribution clinics in the (currently) fourteen states that have legalized the drug for medicinal purposes.
This Photoshop Is A Rare Non-Original - Shamelessly Lifted From BlackOsama Dot Com Since I Could Not Do Any Better
Today,
The Associated Press is reporting the fact as “shocking news” that President Obama plans to formalize this decision in a three-page memo sent from his office to all of the federal prosecutors in all of the fourteen states affected, including Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington (What? No New Hampshire, the “Live Free Or Die” State? C’mon and get with the program, fellas!) spelling it out, step-by-step for them, thereby;
formalizing this new policy.
Perhaps, like former President Clinton’s now-outdated Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT) military policy toward gay servicemen and women before him, President Obama’s “State Rights” stance on medicinal marijuana might serve as the catalyst for for eventually staying out of the business of the states who are tiring of the criminalization of marijuana overall but only time will tell on that one. I’ve always said, “No Victim, No Crime” should apply to all laws in all states and at the federal level as well and that’s the way it SHOULD be. Oh, and “society” is NOT a “victim” in my not-so-humble opinion.
Last but not least, as I use my favorite “What’s up in the blogospheres” source, MemeOrandum, to check out the reactions, I’m happy to see harmonious sound offs by bloggers from all around the political divide on this “news”.
BLOGGERS APPLAUDING THIS DECISION (JUST “SNIPS” — PLEASE READ IN THEIR ENTIRETY):
Andrew Sullivan of The Daily Dish (Slightly Right Of Center) – Is worried this will become the brunt of jokes when it’s a serious issue and also expresses concern this might lead to a too rapid and irresponsible transition to full decriminalization of weed.
Michelle Malkin (Right) – However; she points out the fact that the Obama Administration “reserves the right” to backpedal on this issue. Don’t fret, Michelle — this is a bipartisan “win” for the president and there is no way he’ll risk double-digit negative popularity points by going back on this campaign promise. Future presidents? Perhaps, but then again — they shall take the same risk by taking an anti-state’s rights position on this issue.
Drudge Retort (Moderate Left) – As always, a HUGE and interesting “do not miss” discussion is in progress.
Bruce McQuain of QandO (Libertarian-Right) – Pure applause — like myself, being the libertarian Liberal I am, while not using DADT as an analogy, does share my optimism this may eventually lead to the overall decriminalization of pot.
Ann Althouse (Center Right) – Uses this as an opportunity to blast the rest of the politicians who still believe in criminalization of pot in general.
Ed Morrissey of Hot Air (Right) – “Shocked” but generally supportive.
Glenn Greenwald of Salon (Libertarian Left) – Responds with a great one-liner: “This is one of those rare instances of unadulterated good news from Washington.“
Justin Gardiner of Donklephant (Slightly Left Of Center) – “… this is a move that Libertarians, Republicans and Democrats can all applaud. …”
HOW ABOUT YOURSELF? O-PINE IN THE COMMENTS SECTION BELOW…
***
You Might Enjoy These Related Posts Also:
Loading ...
7:26 pm on October 19th, 2009 1
GTL: Believe it or not, DADT is dated and should go. So while not a perfect analogy in every way – I have no problem with its repeal.
The GTL™ Reply:
October 20th, 2009 at 12:54 pm
@McQ, Thanks, McQ and your response to DADT doesn’t surprise me one bit either. Looks like we agree on both issues
7:29 pm on October 19th, 2009 2
Pot should be, at the very least, decriminalized. Take away the profit motive by letting it be grown for personal use and you get rid of the commercial growers, free up lots of police man power, and cut costs.
Or, make it a State monopoly – let the State grow it and sell it through state run stores, kind of how some states sell booze at only state stores (I think I have that part right, not up on the blue laws in ohter states).
As it is now, I think the ‘medical marijuana dispenseries’ in CA are a joke. Yes, there are some for whom they are a boon – relief of glaucoma or the side effects of chemo and such. Then there are the other 98% of them who have pot cards for relief of chronic hangnails, the heartbreak of psoriasis, and painful dandruff.
SJ Reply:
October 20th, 2009 at 7:11 am
@Joe Lovell,
Joe, you’re right about the booze. New Hampshire is one such state which runs “package stores”. It’s a wide ranging name, “package”, so it could easily be applied to “doobies” without changing signage.:)
SJ Reply:
October 20th, 2009 at 7:13 am
@SJ,
Oh, and GTL, don’t sell yourself short on the photoshop. One weekend (and severage beverages of choice) and I know you can do better.
The GTL™ Reply:
October 20th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
@SJ, LOL! Thanks, man… I rarely use somebody else’s but that one was just TOO good to pass up
8:14 am on October 20th, 2009 3
I oppose legalizing pot for recreational use. It represents support for an altered state of mind that takes us further down the road towards the use of outside agents as a coping mechanism.
I would not want to ultimately see agencies set up to determine if PotPlus (new and improved with additives!) is equivalent to natural pot and therefore legal. I also would not want to develop a mind set that “this much” altered mind state is acceptable but “this much” is not.
I know that several of you want to throw some tired argument at me that pot is actually better than alcohol as an altered state of existence. To you I say that alcohol is already legal, has been part of society for 10,000 years, and still leads to overconsumption and death. Pot, on the other hand, has been in American society for much less a time frame, is already illegal, and making it legal is a conscious decision to permit the development of an industry to market and sell it to masses of people. This is not promoting the general welfare of people as much as it is making people ‘feel’ good about their general welfare.
As far as Washington’s decision to honor and respect state laws: Hallelujah! About darn time.
I prefer that pot be illegal and remain a clandestine thrill to those who are curious ( ala stealing watermelons from your neighbor in the summer). I prefer that dealers be jailed when apprehended and users fined. I prefer that pot growers go to jail and assets seized.
In short, keep pot as a teenager and musician thrill and save the rest of us the ad nauseum campaigns and planned subversion of our children’s behaviors.
The GTL™ Reply:
October 20th, 2009 at 12:58 pm
@Reasonable Citizen, Interesting opinion, R/C. I don’t see your prediction of society’s downward slide if pot was legalized happening in reality, however. Remember, I grew up in Alaska and all through my childhood and early adult years pot WAS legal and to my recollection, most people had tried it and most people didn’t smoke it just like anywhere else in America. People who want to smoke pot smoke it whether it’s legal or not because it is readily available just about anywhere in the Western Hemisphere.
ReasonableCitizen Reply:
October 21st, 2009 at 9:23 am
@The GTL™, Yes, in the absence of BIG POT (a likely future)and the lack of advertising of ‘new and improved’ and ‘mango-scented’ or ‘vitamin enhanced’ products will probably keep pot as a curiosity.
We know that Big Business can get people to eat oils, fats, and sugars in a variety of tastes and textures. We would be silly to think that pot would not follow the same diversity route as chewing tobacco, alcohol, and artificial flavors…
As for society’s demise, can it sink lower (yes) and be considered scandalous (no)? If one looks around and says “I accept society the way it is with its haves and have nots. Changes in society are not relevant” then one will never see its fall. Society fails long before the nation does.
1:34 pm on October 20th, 2009 4
Just more ‘bob and weave’ from Obama to take the spotlight off his healthcare suppository that he’s trying to apply to the American public.
SJ Reply:
October 20th, 2009 at 6:57 pm
@Fandb,
I think “smokescreen” would have been the more appropriate description in this case, heh heh heh.